Match Report

Craig Levein made three changes to the starting eleven which faced Hearts the previous week at Tynecastle. With Garry Kenneth suspended Darren Dods came back in to partner Lee Wilkie in central defence after the captain had shaken off a dead leg in time to play. Also starting was Sean Dillon, who returned at right back in place of Mihael Kovacevic, while David Robertson won a place in midfield ahead of Craig Conway. With Danny Swanson also suspended Prince Buaben returned to the bench as United searched for a vital three points in their quest for European football. In the Rangers side there was a return to Tannadice for former player Christian Dailly while Kris Boyd partnered Nacho Novo in attack.

The home side were first to make a threat on goal when in three minutes an in swinging cross by Willo Flood was met late by Noel Hunt at the back post and his header found the side netting. A couple of minutes later a lively looking United threatened again when Mark De Vries met a David Robertson cross on the half volley and forced Rangers keeper Allan McGregor into a low save on the line. A slack pass by Lee Wilkie gave Novo a bit of room at the edge of the box but the ex Dundee man sliced a wild shot into the fans congregated in the shed. There was a real battle going on in midfield with tackles flying in from all angles and as a result both Steven Whittaker and Mark Kerr needed a quiet word from the referee to calm things down. With the Tangerines playing all the football, good build up play almost led to an opening for Hunt on 26 minutes, but a neat one-two with De Vries ended with the ball running just too far ahead of United’s top scorer who had sprung in behind the visitors’ defence. Lee McCulloch registered Rangers first serious attempt on goal in the 28th minute when he hooked a right foot shot from outside the box just over the bar. The home team went on to take a deserved lead in the 38th minute when Christian Kalvenes slammed the ball in from close range after a Dods header from a Flood free kick was superbly saved by McGregor. The left back then hit the post with his first effort on the rebound before sparking jubilation amongst the United fans behind the goal with the decisive final touch. Having been second best throughout the half, the Glasgow side equalised on the stroke of half time through David Weir. Boyd had appeared to go down very easily on the right wing leading to the free kick from which the central defender met the ball 4 yards out to bullet a header into the top corner. The hosts were unfortunate to only be level following an excellent showing in the opening period. Gomis and Flood had been heavily involved throughout with Kerr and Robertson breaking up play nicely as the terrors dominated in midfield. Despite the disappointment of losing the lead there were many positives for Craig Levein to look as they prepared for the second half.

Again it was the home side that went on the offensive and this time Hunt stung McGregor’s hands with a fierce drive from the edge of the box, with De Vries close to connecting with the rebound before the ball was cleared. In the 51st minute United were back in front following some more excellent build-up play. Robertson passed the ball out to Kalvenes on the left wing, and his dangerous cross evaded everyone and fell to Dillon at the opposite side of the area. Instead of drilling the ball back across goal the Irishman delivered an exquisite lofted cross to the back post which was put on a plate for Noel Hunt who headed home from barely two yards. Rangers did threaten ten minutes later when Novo worked some space well on the right wing and cut inside before crossing to Ferguson who was lurking at the back post. The Rangers captain angled a shot across goal from an acute angle which went narrowly wide of the right hand post. There was to be another setback for United in the 58th minute however as Rangers again drew level. It was Nacho Novo who beat the offside trap to run clear on goal before going round Zaluska and tapping into an empty net. In a game which was increasingly turning into a classic, the Tangerines again restored their lead in the 64th minute, this time through an unlikely source. Robertson fed the ball to Dillon down the right and his whipped cross was turned into the net virtually on the goal line by Rangers defender Carlos Cuellar. Unbelievably the lead was again short lived, this time a Flood pass back was short and Kris Boyd nipped in to score past Zaluska. For the first time Rangers threatened to go in front when, after 73 minutes a Novo shot on the turn was spectacularly turned over the bar by Zaluska. Moments later Dillon then cleared a goal bound Novo header over the bar as United were put under real pressure for the first time. United survived the storm and then Gomis struck a left foot drive from around 15 yards which was heading for the far corner but for a deflection off a Rangers defender for a corner. Substitute Jon Daly then tested McGregor with a volley from long range but unfortunately it was straight at the visiting keeper. David Robertson then came desperately close to a winner when he headed towards goal from a Flood cross and would have found the net but for McGregor expertly turning round the post. There was one final chance for United when they were awarded a free kick on the right which Flood swung in to Kalvenes who unfortunately headed over meaning a share of the spoils. United will be disappointed to have only taken a point from a game in which they led three times. Apart from a flurry by Rangers in the middle of the second half United had been the better team throughout and could take great heart that they once again more than matched the Ibrox side.